“Frank and I are really gonna have to find a place.” Jamia said as she and Alicia got out of the car and started for Monica’s front door. “I would love to have a house like this.”
Alicia agreed, “You guys are gonna need more room when the babies come. In the meantime I think we should start working on a nursery.”
“But Hon, you’re staying in what will be the nursery.” Jamia reminded her.
“Oh yeah. Well, that don’t matter. I can sleep on the sofa. Come on it’ll be fun. Buying baby beds and shit.”
Jamia frowned, “I just always thought that when we had kids Frank would be with me to set up the nursery.”
“Unplanned pregnancy, remember?” Alicia teased. She wanted to cheer her friend up. “Come on I can act like Frank. I can be just as goofy as fuck.”
It worked Jamia smiled, “Are you saying Frank is goofy? You know he’s the most serious man you know.”
Alicia snorted, “Yeah, sure he is. Tomorrow you and I are gonna start shopping for baby stuff.” She didn’t tell her friend that it had really been Frank’s idea. He had asked Alicia to help Jamia with the baby preparations. It killed him that he couldn’t be there to help but he thought that it would keep Jamia’s mind occupied so she wouldn’t have time to miss him. “We can see if Monica wants to come too.”
They reached the porch and started up the steps. “Shit, I hate how I waddle.” Jamia said as she slowly made her way up.
Alicia grinned, “You don’t waddle. I would say it’s more of a ….” She couldn’t think of a word because in reality waddle fit.
Jamia nodded, “See, I do waddle.”
The front door opened. Bert walked out first followed by Monica. “Hey, more babes.” Bert said happily. “Wow, Jamia you’re huge.”
Monica smacked the back of his head. “What?’
He turned around. Monica was glaring at him. “Shit, sorry.” Looking back at Jamia he smiled, “You are glowing. Pregnancy agrees with you.”
“Too late. No taking back what you said.” She answered. “I’m right back to hating you.”
He laughed, “Well shit.” He took a step so that he was standing directly in front of her. “You really do look good. Healthy I mean. So I guess the pregnancy is going okay now?” He looked down at his feet. “When I heard you were having trouble I was pulling for you.”
Jamia smiled, “Yeah, it’s good, and thanks.”
“So what are you doing here?” Alicia asked bluntly.
“Came to see how Monica was doing.” Bert answered.
Alicia nodded. Bert had never been one of her favorite people. It didn’t really have to do with his past feud with Gee. He just rubbed her the wrong way.
Bert turned back to Monica. “Give me a call, okay?”
Monica moved to him and gave him a hug, “I promise.”
The three women watched as he crossed the yard to his car and drove away.
“What’d he want?” Alicia asked.
Monica looked over at her, “Like he said, he just stopped by to see how I was doing.”
“He wanted to see if you and Gee were okay, didn’t he?”
“Well, yeah that’s part of it, I guess. Why?” Monica was surprised by her obvious distrust of Bert.
“Come on Monica, we all know he likes you.” Alicia said grinning.
This statement surprised Monica. “As a friend, nothing more.”
“Bert always seems to like what is Gerard’s.” Alicia said softly.
Monica shook her head, “You mean like he wanted Liv when she was with Gerard? This is not even remotely the same thing. Bert and I are friends. Gee doesn’t have a problem with it.” She wanted to add that Alicia shouldn’t either but kept silent.
“So someone mentioned soup and a sandwich.” Jamia said growing tired of standing and the conversation.
Monica laughed, “Cauliflower and Cheese soup.” She led them inside and to the kitchen.

Later that afternoon, after Alicia and Jamia had left, Monica got a call from Brian. Gerard had called him and asked that he help her find someone to build a darkroom for Kelly. Brian had found a company who would be out on Thursday to start work. She was touched that Gee had acted on his plan so quickly. Kelly would be thrilled. She was just getting ready to fold laundry when Gerard called.
“I miss you.” were his first words.
Monica laughed, “I miss you too. How was the flight?”
“Not bad. I worked on the guest list. Got it down to forty people. You know most of them. I’m gonna e-mail it to you, okay?”
“Gee, you didn’t have to cut it, really. If there are people you want to be at your wedding then they should be. I’m just sorry I said anything.”
“Don’t be. You are right. I want this to be close family and friends.”
Monica smiled, “Speaking of friends, Bert was here today.”
“What was he doing in Jersey?” Gerard sat down on his hotel bed and looked for his extra pack of cigarettes he’d packed.
“He really didn’t say. He was asking about Liv. He wanted to know if we’d found a way to call her.”
Gerard stopped looking through his bag and frowned, “Why?”
“He said he’s worried about her; that when he talked to her last something seemed wrong.”
“And he cares why?” He went back to looking for the cigarettes.
Monica sighed, “Are you really telling me that you don’t know he still cares for her?”
He located the pack and pulled out a cigarette. “No fucking way. Liv used him and he knows it.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that he still cares about her.” Monica said softly.
Gerard lit the cigarette. “Look I don’t want to talk about Liv or Bert. I want to talk about you and how much I already miss you.”
Monica smiled, “Okay, go. How much do you miss me?”
“More than I can fucking say. I miss you, the girls, our house. Hell, I miss Frank. Wish we could switch Franks. Think our Frank could play guitar?” he teased.
“I don’t know but your not leaving your Frank here. He’s way too mischievous.” She paused, “Jamia and Alicia visited me today.”
“That’s nice. Frank said he’s glad Alicia is staying with Jamia and I know Mikey is glad Alicia isn’t alone.”
“Tomorrow I’m going with them to start buying stuff to set up their nursery. Honestly I can’t wait. I love baby stuff.”
He took a drag and decided to bring up a subject that had been on his mind. “What would you think about adopting after we get married?”
Monica was shocked, “What?”
He tried explaining, “Look, I think maybe we should share our home with a child who needs one. Shit, doesn’t even have to be a baby.”
“I don’t know what to say. I never even thought about this.” She walked into the kitchen and sat down. “I like the idea but I think we should enjoy being married a while before we consider it. We also gotta remember Elle. Hopefully, we’ll have her part of the time too.”
“If Liv lets us.” He responded angrily.
Monica tried to defuse his anger, “Think positive. I really believe she will. Look we’ve got lots of room in our home and in our hearts, right?’
He smiled, “Yeah, we do.”
“Then things will work out. Hell, I wish you were here. I really wanna hug you right now.” Monica said softly.
He snubbed out his cigarette and looked at the clock. “Shit I gotta get going. I just wanted to talk to you before we took off for Bell Centre. I’ll call you tonight after the concert.”
“Have fun. Give the kids a great show.” She said.
He laughed, “I always try. Love you.”
“Love you.” Monica disconnected then sat back in the chair and shook her head. Adoption?